ALTERNATE NAMES: VASHKIVTSI [UKR], VASHKOVTSY [RUS], VĂȘCĂUŢI [ROM], VASHKOVITZ [YID], WASCHKOUTZ [GER], WASZKOWCE [POL], VĂŞCĂUŢII-PE-CEREMUŞ, WASCHKOUTZ AM CZEREMOSCH, VASCKAUTI, VASHKOUTS, VOSHKAVITCH, WASHKOUTZ. 48°23' N, 25°31' E, In N Bukovina, 20 miles WNW of Chernivtsi (Cernăuţi), 18 miles NNW of Storozhynets (Storojineţ), 18 miles ENE of Vyzhnytsya (Vijniţa).
- Der Geshichte der Juden in der Bukowina, vol. II
(Tel Aviv, 1962) - JewishGen Romania SIG
- Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), XIII, p. 145: "Waszkowce" #1.
- Shtetl Finder (1980), p. 136: "Voshkavitch".
- web site of the writer, Ruth Ellen Gruber. . Jewish Cemeteries of the Bucovina by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. (June 2009) ISBN 978-973-1805-5S0-4. Romanian, Ukrainian, English, French, and German. This book may soon be available via commercial booksellers, but can also be obtained directly from the author <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>. Though very fews Jews remain in the Bucovina, the cemeteries represent the culture and prominence of the Jewish populations of pre-WWII Romania. This volume provides information on and pictures of the Jewish cemeteries [Mar 2014]
CEMETERY:
VASHKOVTSY I: US Commission No. UA25030101
Alternate name: Voshkavitch (Yiddish), Washkouts (German), Vascauti pe Ceremus (Hungarian), Vascauti (Polish) and Vashkouts, Vascauti (Russian). Vashkovtsy is located in Chernovitskaya at 48º23 25º31, 32 km from Vizhnitsa and 32 km from Chernovtsy. The cemetery is located 400m from village, left from highway to Vizhnitsa. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
- Town officials: Region Executive Committee Chairman Buzhora Dmitriy Alekseevich [Phone: (03730) 21385].
- Regional: Region Executive Committee Chairman Buzhora Dmitriy Alekseevich [Phone: (03730) 21385]. Chernovtsy Region Executive Committee Chairman Leonchenko Vladimir Pavlovich. Society of Memorial Preservation-Olgovskaya Galina Dmitriyevna. Cherkach Nataliya Il'yevna (03730) 21935.
- Caretaker: Ivanchuk Tanasiy Nikolayevich, lives near cemetery.
- Jewish Foundation in Chernovtsy-Boyko Irina.
The earliest known Jewish community was 17th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 856. In 1848, Jews of Bukovina got political rights. In 1918, Bukovina transfered to Rumunia. In 1940, N Bukonina transferred to USSR. The last known Hasidic burial was 1990. No other towns or villages used this cemetery. The suburban and isolated rural (agricultural) flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with no gate surrounds the cemetery. 501 to 5000 stones, most in original location with less than 25% toppled, date from 1892 to 20th century. The cemetery has no special sections or known mass graves. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, other metallic elements, portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. Municipality owns Jewish cemetery property. Properties adjacent are agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. Occasionally, organized individual tours and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II and occasionally in the last ten years. Local/municipal authorities, Jewish individuals within country and abroad, cleared vegetation and fixed wall in 1946. Jewish survivors and contributions pay the regular caretaker from visitors. (Kosov 94) Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem, preventing access. Water drainage at the cemetery is a seasonal problem. Serious threat: vegetation. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and pollution. Slight threat: weather erosion and vandalism.
Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Ukraine, Odessa, Varnenskaya 17D, Apt. 52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] visited site on 12/8/94 on 23/08/1994. Interviewed was Ivanchuk T.N. Oks completed survey on 08/23/1994.
VASHKOVTSY II: 275600 US Commission No. UA25030102
The last known Progressive/Reform Jewish burial was 1990s. No other towns or villages used this cemetery. The isolated suburban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A broken fence with no gate surrounds the cemetery. 501 to 5000 stones, most in original location, date from 19th century. Location of any removed stones is unknown. The cemetery has no special sections or no known mass graves. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces and/or metal fences around graves. Municipality owns Jewish cemetery property. Properties adjacent are agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. Rarely, local residents visit. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. Now, individual clear vegetation or clean occasionally. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, damaging stones. Water drainage at the cemetery is a seasonal problem. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, vegetation and existing nearby development. Slight threat: weather erosion, pollution, vandalism, and proposed nearby development.
Hodorkovskiy Yuriy Isaakovich of 252037 Kiev, Vozduhoflotskiy Prospect 37A, Apt.23 [Phone: (044) 2769505] visited site in 07/1994. No interviews were conducted for this survey. Hodorkovskiy completed survey on 08/20/1994.
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [April 2016]